Saturday, September 22, 2007

I'm so familiar with the concept of a beer dinner, that I'm bemused when others often are not.

Simply put, it's a dinner served with beer - something many of us do.

But there's much more involved (and more fun) when it's a planned dinner in which each course is paired with a specific beer.

There are generally two different ways to go.

First, a restaurant might plan a special meal for each beer of the dinner. This will allow the restaurant's chef to showcase his/her skills. The dinner becomes a reward for loyal customers.

But the restaurant might also feature its 'standard' fare, re-plating into smaller portions. This is a viable option as well. Customers - new and repeat - experience a greater range of the kitchen's fare. It creates repeat business.

This was the path chosen by the PGA Tour Grill in Rockville, Maryland for its first ever beer dinner last Tuesday. Chef Goodman featured 5 of Clipper City 's beers and 4 regular menu items, served as small plates. It was an intimate dinner served in the wine-room off of the main bar area. The Blackened Yellowfin Tuna (with soy sauce, ginger,and wasabi) was the evening's hit, paired with Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale.